the rossness
Well-known member
new LTD Kamikaze-
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbgfXIdF4h3 ... chofficial
https://www.instagram.com/p/BbgfXIdF4h3 ... chofficial
ESP predictions for 2018
- Thread starter maddnotez
- Start date
Pushead
Active member
Ventura":3n81vxlu said:
E-II replaced the old Standard Series (It was called LTD Elite for a year before the E-II name was brought in). CNC cut, production line assembled, finished and QC at ESP Japan. People claim different things as to whether the CNC work is done in Japan or at the Jixi factory in China (where people also say Edwards are done.) If you're ordering an ESP from Japan, you're getting their "Custom Shop" level production and price. The ESP Standard line was never meant to be that.
ESP has decided to only put the "ESP" name on their top line builds in Japan and built a USA shop to appease the North American market. The change happened when ESP got sick of the Japanese market importing ESP Standard guitars.
riffermadness
Member
I have the Yellow Tiger GL-200MT and the Purple sunburst 200 SBC ,once I took off the Floyd rose specials and replaced with German Floyds and took off the horrible stock ESP tuning keys and set them up for me they play and sound great,I like this one too as well,,I am an LTD fan.the rossness":1fmgw7c0 said:
Vin Diezel
Member
I think the new product policy sucks. I bought all the ESP Horizons I could afford and now they can sell their E-II nonsense to whoever they like.
The design is ugly compared to the old one.
I am an ex-diehard-fan now.
The design is ugly compared to the old one.
I am an ex-diehard-fan now.
Looks like they started removing inlays already. Not sure how the serials work apart from the year but I went ahead with my order and I think mine was made in September. Figured I’d share. Not 100% perfect flame but pretty acceptable for me and I consider myself picky.
nice stuff
BUT
both esp and ibanez seem hung up on neck bindings
HATE THAT
BUT
both esp and ibanez seem hung up on neck bindings
HATE THAT
Stealthtastic
Active member
Incredibly out of touch spec choices as always. They seem to be stuck in 2008. This is coming from an ESP dealer too.
I really wish they'd just bring back the ESP designation for Japanese made guitars too, the EII thing has really killed demand for the product in the US. We've had so many clients ask about getting the EII with the ESP logo instead. It doesn't bug me personally, but if it bugs clients then that's all that matters. Even the higher ups I spoke to @ NAMM were confused by it.
Oh well.
I really wish they'd just bring back the ESP designation for Japanese made guitars too, the EII thing has really killed demand for the product in the US. We've had so many clients ask about getting the EII with the ESP logo instead. It doesn't bug me personally, but if it bugs clients then that's all that matters. Even the higher ups I spoke to @ NAMM were confused by it.
Oh well.
Pushead
Active member
I have a bunch of ESP Standard Eclipses and an E-II as well. I can be picky and say some of the QC on the E-II wasn't quite up to the old ESP Standard level, but I did buy the E-II used, so that may have something to do with it. The hardware is nicer on the E-II.
I don't mind buying an E-II, but when an equivalent used ESP Standard is available for near the same price, I suspect I'll pick the ESP every time.
There's no big name, no history, no gravitas behind the E-II name. Show Hetfield/Hammett/Lynch/etc with one and that will change. (No, Het's 1 song E-II baritone Viper doesn't count.)
I don't mind buying an E-II, but when an equivalent used ESP Standard is available for near the same price, I suspect I'll pick the ESP every time.
Stealthtastic":2ku641on said:
There's no big name, no history, no gravitas behind the E-II name. Show Hetfield/Hammett/Lynch/etc with one and that will change. (No, Het's 1 song E-II baritone Viper doesn't count.)
Stealthtastic
Active member
maddnotez":168koqyh said:I guess they just need a headless multiscale with poor QC to be up to date.Stealthtastic":168koqyh said:
Haha maybe. What I mean really is their insistence on ToMs, outdated finishes, etc...
We move more PRS than ESP even though our primary audience is metal guitarists. PRS has done a KILLER job showing the CU24 off in metal applications though.
Vin Diezel
Member
maddnotez":17fe0pd7 said:I guess they just need a headless multiscale with poor QC to be up to date.Stealthtastic":17fe0pd7 said:
ROFL!
Stealthtastic":7inrxkg3 said:maddnotez":7inrxkg3 said:I guess they just need a headless multiscale with poor QC to be up to date.Stealthtastic":7inrxkg3 said:
Haha maybe. What I mean really is their insistence on ToMs, outdated finishes, etc...
We move more PRS than ESP even though our primary audience is metal guitarists. PRS has done a KILLER job showing the CU24 off in metal applications though.
Yeah you are definitely correct. I don't personally like the TOM honestly. It isn't horrible but is a bit awkward and makes for a little slower playing.
Also the finishes christ almighty. What did they have 2 colors for a Horizon NT this year. Ridiculous, they seem to be very conservative. This Purple H-iii seems like them testing the waters and the VP said if it is received well they will do more finishes.
To me they need more balls. They already make a great guitar. You do not need to change it every year BUT you are right when you say these days people want options.
Why can't I get 1 of several colors or finishes? What if I don't want a quilt or a TOM or a 350mm radius. Those are things they could do to improve.
I honestly think they would sell more if they did those little things. Let you pick your hardware, finish, neck profile and color on any model that they may have. Hell they could even call it a "semi-custom" and charge an xtra bone or two.
Pushead
Active member
maddnotez":nzt8oy5h said:
Not to be contrary, I have Eclipses in 10 different colors/finishes (and one in a 11th finish that I sold). They don't offer a bunch of colors a year, but they seem to offer a new color every other year or so. But yeah they hedge their bets on, you liking black or white.
That's sort of what they're doing with the USA Custom Shop. The price is a bit high for the market (by my estimate, anyway). I liked Carvin/Kiesel's model for that type of thing.
riffermadness
Member
I called ESP California about 430pm their time and asked about this guitar,and the guy said hold on,then when he got back on the phone he said one of their higher ups said the LTD version here is almost 100% going to be produced because they had a good run with the ESP version.I am hoping he is right !the rossness":14ad5ttp said:
Vin Diezel":3fp7edh7 said:maddnotez":3fp7edh7 said:I guess they just need a headless multiscale with poor QC to be up to date.Stealthtastic":3fp7edh7 said:
ROFL!
What’s funny about this......
Looks like they’ve got the poor QC down already.
Just got an MH-1000 Evertune in the mail today. The 12th inlay is gone so I guess it’s the newer model preparing for 2018?
Passed ESP USA QC and Sweetwater 55 point inspection somehow. Many many issues with the finish. Very disappointed.
$1,100 guitar, has black paint smudges on the binding at nearly every single fret, a little discoloration on the board, imperfections where the binding meets the body and the neck. Plus the back plate is completely scratched to shit with no plastic covering.
Before people say it’s an LTD what did you expect, I’ll say this. The guitar cost $1,100 and is the top of the line LTD 1000 Deluxe. I have other LTD that don’t have these issues and TBH have never seen such poor quality on any finish of ANY guitar I have owned.
Is a shame because it plays and sounds incredible but I just cannot accept so many flaws on a “new” guitar.
Not sure what to do. I worry if I exchange for another the same thing will happen.
ChurchHill
New member
That sucks... for that kind of money, there's really no excuse for a poor finish. I bought an LTD for my daughter 7 years ago or so. It was less than half that price and the finish was flawless (playability, not so much, but she was just messing around with it). I don't know what I would do in your case... doesn't say much for Sweetwater's "55 point" inspection and it would make me really nervous with an exchange, too. Every piece of wood's different and there's no guarantee the next will sound as good, even if it didn't have finish flaws. Still, I'm not sure I could keep it. Doubt I'd be very happy with Sweetwater, either.
Vin Diezel
Member
maddnotez":39x3u3vd said:Vin Diezel":39x3u3vd said:maddnotez":39x3u3vd said:I guess they just need a headless multiscale with poor QC to be up to date.Stealthtastic":39x3u3vd said:
ROFL!
What’s funny about this......
Looks like they’ve got the poor QC down already.
Just got an MH-1000 Evertune in the mail today. The 12th inlay is gone so I guess it’s the newer model preparing for 2018?
Passed ESP USA QC and Sweetwater 55 point inspection somehow. Many many issues with the finish. Very disappointed.
$1,100 guitar, has black paint smudges on the binding at nearly every single fret, a little discoloration on the board, imperfections where the binding meets the body and the neck. Plus the back plate is completely scratched to shit with no plastic covering.
Before people say it’s an LTD what did you expect, I’ll say this. The guitar cost $1,100 and is the top of the line LTD 1000 Deluxe. I have other LTD that don’t have these issues and TBH have never seen such poor quality on any finish of ANY guitar I have owned.
Is a shame because it plays and sounds incredible but I just cannot accept so many flaws on a “new” guitar.
Not sure what to do. I worry if I exchange for another the same thing will happen.
That is not good. I've been a devoted ESP player for many years now and I really hope they do not end up like Kiesel. Finish is secondary to me personally, but it clearly should not happen!